Sugar-holic.

Round 2: Day Twenty-seven - Day Thirty.

2009-09-22T06:16:00.000-07:00

The end feels a bit anticlimactic due to a week long internet blackout after my computer quit on me. However, I have been keeping up with the project, despite the lack of updates.

The final verdict? The results aren't quite as dramatic as last year. This is probably due to the fact that I was much less stringent this round, for my own personal sanity. In round one, I had the motivation to be strict with my diet for the sake of the ending article. I refused to write about a project unless it was fully realized and the results untainted. But for this round, my only motivation was the improvement of my own health, which frankly, isn't as strong as my urge for chocolate. That being said, even with my Miracle Whip cheating and my mid-work candy slip ups, my health and well being has improved. I'm not a part of the super immune like last year, but it is much more possible for me to wake up in the morning and I certainly don't have the overall ickiness that all the junk food was causing me before [not eating potato chip sandwiches on a daily basis probably helped].

So, in ending, I feel as though I should share some of my favorite non-sugar sweets that have gotten me thru the past thirty days.

1. hot tea: usually green and fruity flavored, hot tea has been my best unsweetened indulgence. There really is something to be said for relaxing after dinner with a warm cup in hand...even if it means cranking up the AC to do it in the summer.

2. sugar-free french toast: I've heard many recipes for french toast over the years, some including sugar, some not. Personally, my own method has always been a simple egg + cinnamon mixture to soak the bread, topped with pancake syrup. This recipe on it's own would be project approved with the simple substitute of pure maple syrup for the sugar-laden pancake syrup. However, after deciding on a whim to include the last few drops in the bottle, I made the discovery that adding pure vanilla extract in the mix makes this breakfast even more delicious. I suggest you try it if you haven't.

3. agave nectar: in anything you'd normally put sugar in, really. Throughout the month, I used it in baked goods, and any recipe from my mother. [My mother uses sugar in everything.] It worked particularly well to sweeten deviled eggs while only adding to the creaminess of the texture [since it's liquid instead of granule].

and of course,

4. organic dark chocolate: I prefer 85% or higher, but in a pinch anything above 70% will do. Enjoy it a square at a time and pair it with your hot tea for a melt in your mouth experience.

Now the ultimate question: am I sticking with the project after the 30 days?

Last year, I was obsessed with the positive results and vowed to continue indefinitely [we see how long that lasted though, right]. This year, I made brownies on day 31 and had two for breakfast this morning. So, no, I'm not sticking to it. BUT I am going to keep moderation in mind. The beauty of this project is that it makes you realize the fact that giving up sugar isn't just about an issue of weight or too many cavities, it really does improve your whole well being. As someone who often indulges just because I can, it's good to keep in mind what kind of harm I'm doing to my body. I will continue to shop for organics, continue to try to pacify my sweet tooth with cups of tea, and continue to ask myself if dessert is really what I need...but I'll also enjoy my ability to have a brownie for breakfast when the occasion calls for it.

Round 2: Day Twenty-six.

2009-09-16T22:42:00.001-07:00

Today was bad. Quite bad. After a 3 1/2 hour interview at a temp agency complete with computer aptitude testing, I returned home ready to veg out. However, since the computer tends to stay on for at least a half and hour at a time now [I think it was the file clean out that helped], I knew I had some homework to catch up on.

One of my current assignments is actually to re-design my personal homepage. This is frustrating since, just three weeks ago, I finished a class dedicated to perfecting the original design, so it's hard to feel inspired to change it just yet. But today, I tried. And the more frustrated I got, the more I wanted to eat. Not just sugar, but really anything. [Emotional eating? I don't know what you're
talking about.] The victims of this frustration binge were as follows: an entire bag of Caesar salad, four slices of cantaloupe, two rows of dark chocolate, leftover kung pow noodles, a handful of sweet potato fries, my last Clif bar, and finally [shame] the last of some peanut butter cup ice cream still left in my freezer from just before the project started [I blame the Reese's cup commercials].

And now, I'm a bit nauseous.

Round 2: Day Twenty - Day Twenty-five

2009-09-15T22:09:00.000-07:00

Alright, so I'm a bad blogger, but this time it's actually not my fault. My computer has been spontaneously shutting down for the past week, leaving me unprepared to work on anything important for fear of loosing all work accomplished. However, I'm awaiting the arrival of a brand new MacBook Pro this week so things should be looking up, who knows, perhaps I'll try some vlogging with my new I-sight camera.

To catch up [quickly in anticipation of an unexpected shut down], this week has been about resolutions. Despite this sugar free project, I have been less than exemplary in my eating habits as of late. Granted, I'm not eating candy by the handful, but the meals I've been consuming generally consist of organically sweetened cereals and pure maple syrup soaked french toast [which, btw was delicious]. And while this eating has not translated into sudden obesityby any means, it hasn't gone completely unnoticed by my body either. Now, don't hate me, but most of the time all it takes for my weight to return to 'normal' is just a little over a week of conscious eating and an extra 15 minutes added on to my workout every day. So that's what this week's resolution was: fruits, veggies, tea, water and some very sore muscles.

Anyway, back to my sugar free existence: in general most cravings have subsided. As I've mentioned, tea helps A LOT, but dessert has finally become a 'take it or leave it' option. That being said, stress can still become a factor. Example a: Monday night. I came home from work in need of some comfort food and decided to indulge in an organic chocolate peanut butter granola bar with my evening tea...one turned into two...two turned into three...and when I finally closed that box, I then broke out the dark chocolate for a few more pieces of indulgence.

This tends to be my problem with sweets and sugar, I have no middle ground. Like any true addict, the options are either abstinence or gluttony. Granted, when I'm in a steady state of mind and things are going well, I am completely in control. But the second I let my guard down, I'm a whole box of chocolates in with a bag of peanut M&M's on standby. As this project comes to a clost in a few days, this is the factor that concerns me: while I would like to return to moderate consumption of whatever sweets I choose, I'm aware that there could be some nights where the fall from the wagon is quite steap. So I'll probably attempt to keep up the sugar-free existence until that night of weakness comes.

In the meantime, the commercial I just saw for dark chocolate Reeses Cups will haunt my dreams.

Round 2: Day Nineteen.

2009-09-09T23:11:00.000-07:00

I really am a hot tea addict. Thank goodness for my air conditioner or I'd never get cool enough to indulge.

Really, for me, the biggest hurdle in avoiding sugar is the habit. I imagine it's something similar to a smoker trying to quit. When you're used to having a cigarette after a meal or with your coffee, it's hard to finish a cup of joe without that familiar itch. I get the antsiest for sugar right after eating. I actually think I've become accustomed to rushing thru the meal to get to dessert. I have to force myself to slow down and enjoy, knowing there's nothing to come after. On those days where I get that post-meal sugar twitch that just can't be kicked, a cup of hot tea serves two purposes: 1. it's a great way to slowly indulge in those few small pieces of organic dark chocolate, letting it slowly melt with the warm brew in my mouth and 2. some days just looking forward to the tea is enough to stop the sugar twitch. Just the other night, I sat down with both a cup of tea and my last Green & Black bar after dinner, only to leave the chocolate completely untouched.

Progress.

Round 2: Day Sixteen/Seventeen/Eighteen.

2009-09-08T20:33:00.000-07:00

I promised myself this round that I would do no combined posts like last time. Even if I was writing an update on another day, I told myself that they would be kept separate. That being said, there is just too much time to cover after three days of slacking, it's hard to remember what happened on which days. Therefore, I'll have to amend my rule just this once.

I've been feeling quite blue lately. The holiday weekend brought on a bout of homesickness that kept my moods swinging. In theory, I could blame it on the sugar withdrawal since depression and mood swings are common, but in reality, I think I was just a bit lonely.*

The good thing about feeling slightly depressed while withdrawing from sugar: lots of sleep. The narcoleptic tendencies continue with a vengeance. I believe I took an afternoon nap on all three of the above mentioned days.

It should be said that I'm actually a big advocate of afternoon naps. I really do think that a good twenty to thirty minutes of sleep after work are quite healthy and revive me for whatever evening tasks may await. However, these are not those kind of naps. We're talking two to three hour comas in which I hardly remember a thing that happens. My mother's called me on several occasions during these black out periods of sleep and, once they're over, I'm usually barely aware that I have spoken to her. I'm waiting for the day that I carry on a conversation with someone other than family during these sessions, who knows what might be said, or what friends I might alienate with my strange responses.

In all fairness, it should be noted that this extreme sleep cycle may not be completely due to the lack of sugar in my diet. Admittedly, I am staying up WAY too late working on homework and therefore, getting an average of around 5 hours of sleep every night. However, it also should be noted that often times, even after the homework is finished, I still cannot seem to fall asleep. Sugar withdrawal messed with my sleep cycle in round one so I'm sure it's not ENTIRELY innocent in round two, but I also should keep most of the blame on myself.

Thankfully, even with such pathetic amounts of sleep, my skin is still quite resilient. Just like in round one, no matter how haggard and deflated I feel with such little rest, I'm amazingly free of sallow skin and baggy eyes. This is perhaps my favorite side effect of abstaining from the sweet stuff: bright eyed and bushy tailed appearance even when I feel like death.

In closing, I'll leave you with this link to a blog posting I found while trying to find some sugar/depression facts for this posting. It's interesting [and short] enough that I'd rather just direct you to the writer's experience than try to paraphrase for my own posting.

*For those who might be concerned about my well being, I am currently feeling much less blue.

Round 2: Day Fifteen.

2009-09-06T00:18:00.000-07:00

In honor of the halfway marker today, I finally tracked down last year's organic obsession: Green & Black chocolate. I've had the hardest time finding it here in Chicago, but today I happened upon it at Walgreens. However, they didn't have my favorite 85% dark and I had to settle for 70%.

The thing I love about dark chocolate is that it's more satisfying. I can have just a few pieces and be done with it, as opposed to an entire bar of milk chocolate. Tonight my chocolate was coupled with a few glasses of wine, but even with weakened willpower, I only made it thru a fourth of a bar. Besides, I now know that my raw organic sugar ingredient listing is not only better for me, but better for the planet. Plus, dark chocolate has the ever popular antioxidant factor that takes away even more of the supposed guilt.

Round 2: Day Fourteen.

2009-09-05T00:10:00.000-07:00

Currently Watching: Eco Trip Season1, Episode 1: Chocolate

It's quite an impressive little series, following the travels of David de Rothschild to find out what the impact certain aspects of daily living have on the environment. In this particular episode, the subject is chocolate. From the cacao farm to the chocolate factory, the environmental impact of all the main ingredients are covered. But what interested me most [other than the delicious shots of chocolate] was the coverage of sugar. Apparently, sugar causes more biodiversity loss than any other crop. No only that, but the drainage of water sources and massive amounts of chemical runoff from cane production is causing an ecosystem collapse in the Everglades. The episode even recommends buying chocolate sweetened with raw organic sugar or organic agave nectar to help prevent such damages to the environment.

Think perhaps I'm on to something?

Round 2: Day Thirteen.

2009-09-03T22:22:00.001-07:00

I have quite a headache this evening. Massive really. Couple that with a personal near-trauma and I'm not much in the mood for blogging, but here goes my best...

I'm bored with food. Dessert really is the whole point of the meal in my opinion and with nothing to look forward to, I get a bit discouraged. I have been pacifying my sweet tooth today with Clif Bars. They're organically sweetened so they're project approved, but since they're energy bars they're also around 230 calories each so eating three a day isn't very practical. When money is less tight, a trip to Trader Joe's for some non-sugar dessert ingredients may be in order.

Now back to my headache [it's the only thing I can think about so I guess it's the only thing you get to read about], it could be a sign of withdrawal. I experienced headaches early on in round one, ~~but with all the cheats I've had in round two, it makes sense that they're a bit later in the game this time~~.* All I can do is chug some water, get some sleep, and tough it out.

*So I checked into round one's day thirteen to compare and found that I felt like crap at this point last year too, but for different reasons. Complete with headache.

Round 2: Day Twelve.

2009-09-03T01:50:00.001-07:00

Something you may not know if you've never waited tables: your server doesn't get a lunch break. Sometimes your server probably hasn't eaten anything for the past 6 or 7 hours. Because service shifts are generally supposed to be shorter than the average work day, there usually isn't a planned 'break' at any point during the shift. Plus, when your job is to serve people their lunch break meal, when do you think you'll find the time to have one of your own?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, I'm just explaining a common aspect of the job so you can understand that on days like today, I work almost 7 hours with no food whatsoever. So when someone hands me a free piece of laughy taffy, I take it, ponder for about an hour over whether I should eat it, and finally get hungry enough that it doesn't matter anymore that I have to blog about my cheat later in the evening. But no diet cheat ever goes unpunished and I immediately became cursed with a sugar sore throat. [The laughy taffy ingredients list pretty much looks like this: sugar, corn syrup, and partial hydrogenated soybean oil. yum, right?]

After work, I came home and was asleep within the hour, slept solid for about two. Practically narcoleptic. I've been doing that a lot lately and I'm not sure if I should blame sugar withdrawal or my own bad sleep patterns, but it has to stop soon.

Of course, then how could I get these 3am blog posts out there into the world?

Round 2: Day Eleven.

2009-09-01T21:41:00.000-07:00

This will be a short post. I'm feeling a bit under the weather tonight. It's starting to get brisk out in Chicago and it's making me feel run down and sniffly. Perhaps some of that is sugar withdrawal, but most of it's just the unmistakable signs of an oncoming cold.

The one and only good thing about the impending cold weather [other than getting to wear some fabulous new coats] is that I can once again pacify my sweet tooth with hot tea. This was how I curbed my dessert cravings during round one and didn't realize how much it helped until it was too hot for tea during the start of round two. Now, whenever that post-meal sweet tooth hits, I'll simply put on the kettle.

Now excuse me while I curl up on the couch with my cranberry green tea before passing out in the exhaustion that comes with catching a cold.

Round 2: Day Ten.

2009-08-31T22:35:00.000-07:00

Did you know there's sugar in LEMON PEPPER SEASONING? I have a nagging suspicion that I made this discovery last year, but I'd forgotten 'til tonight. Who knew that even your spice rack involves sweetener? It's quite disappointing since I've created a habit of eating baby peas seasoned with lemon pepper seasoning. It gives a nice little citrus-y kick to my veggies and makes it easier get my greens. However, now I'm wondering if the appeal doesn't have something to do with sugar addiction. So tonight I had to settle for plain pepper.

In sweeter news, I'm addicted to browsing the recipes in My Year Without Sugar. It's so handy to have found a site where the work has been done for me. I'm thinking of trying the sugar-free sugar cookies soon since they're really the only sweet treat on the list that I have all the ingredients for already. Had I not eaten my last banana this morning, I could have tried the peanut butter pudding, but alas, it wasn't meant to be.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

Round 2: Day Nine.

2009-08-30T22:37:00.000-07:00

Tonight, I don't feel so well. Possibly it's the half a bag of potato chips I just mindlessly consumed while watching television. They're sweetened organically [BBQ flavor requires a bit of sweetness], but still not the healthiest choice. Not to mention the fact that last night ended with a bit too much wine. Ok, WAY too much wine. And cheap, low quality wine at that. Without going into regurgitation details, let's just say I paid for my alcoholic indulgence when I got home. So I guess I even started the day on the wrong foot. I did however, get in my daily workout which has been absent while the parents were in town. But honestly, I'm quite ready to start taking this experiments seriously in hopes of a health improvement.

It's funny how just having a project like this to focus on makes things seem to come together in life more. I'm a firm believer in a daily purpose and this blog gives me that. No matter how pointless the job seems or how frustrating the homework, I always have this goal to work towards and that does amazing things for a girl's self image. But it really is time to take this seriously, no more cheating.

It helps that I found some inspiration today in the form of another sugar free blogger. Ironically enough, she started her sugar avoidance just around the time that my first month was ending last year. But at a year long, her goal was much more ambitious. Like me, she reached the end of her goal and felt so good that she didn't want to go back. However, while I slipped back into old habits in a matter of months, she's continued for another eight still going strong and gathering more information than I could ever dream.

Check out this inspiring project at http://www.blogcatalog.com/blog/my-year-without

Just make sure you still come back to visit me some time as well.

Round 2: Day Eight.

2009-08-30T13:34:00.000-07:00

In theory, day eight began my completely sugar free existence. My dessert free buffer week has ended; I now become a slave to reading labels. However, day eight was also the last day of the parental visit and a free breakfast at the Golden Nugget meant partaking of both ketchup and syrup, both of which I'm sure included not only sugar, but corn syrup as well. But, everything in moderation.

Speaking of ingredients lists, the recent Trader Joe's shopping spree left me with a variety of sweet treats which involve brown rice syrup. I've heard of this ingredient before since I spent hours looking for the ingredient during last year's experiment, but I've never fully researched it's differences and benefits. So here goes:

According to Bodyandfitness.com, brown rice syrup "is made by adding a small amount of sprouted rice or barley to cooked brown rice. The rice is then strained and cooked, becoming a golden syrup with a butterscotch flavor. It is about half as sweet as sugar, and, as with barley malt syrup, complex carbohydrates inhibit dramatic shifts in blood sugar levels."

So in other words, like agave nectar, brown rice syrup helps to avoid the blood sugar spike that causes so many of sugar's problems. That's enough for me to enjoy my organic granola bars with their brown rice syrup sweetness.

Round 2: Day Seven.

2009-08-28T22:36:00.000-07:00

Today was exhausting. After a late night up with the parents the night before, we awoke earlier than my day-off minded body would have liked and I began breakfast. That's right, even in my sugar-free existence, I cook for my sleepover guests. Vegetarian biscuits and gravy. [Don't knock it til you've tried it, even my meat and potatoes father said it was delicious.]

It's a good thing we started off the day with a filling breakfast because we were in for some walking. It was time to take the 'rents on a museum tour way downtown. So after a bus ride, a train ride and a little walking in the wrong direction, we finally made it to the Field Museum. My dad's a big history and nature buff so this trip was mainly for him. I can get into parts of it, but pretty much if there's not pretty clothing or painted art, I'll eventually tune out any history lesson. For anyone who's never been, I would also like to point out that the Chicago Field Museum is like walking in a labyrinth of dark rooms with very little lighting. I think my body thought there would be no way out and started to shut down because by the time we decided to leave for a late lunch I was Tired.

Lunch did a bit to revive me, but I overindulged in ordering fish and chips [see what I mean by less than healthy eating habits? at least it wasn't a potato chip sandwich]. This was followed by a marathon grocery session at Trader Joe's where we purchased a treasure chest of organically sweetened goodies. Then last stop was a wholesome sushi dinner.

Once home [finally], a Netflix viewing awaited us. I feared I would not have the stamina to stay awake for a whole two hours of television and contemplated allowing myself an organic sugar rush to make it thru. But even faced with my own glorious loophole, I resisted. After all, I know it's cheating and I wanted at least one completely cheat-free day to end the first week of this project.

So I fell asleep during the movie [I'll re-watch that part tomorrow] and had a banana to make it thru the evening's homework [potassium rush, anyone?]. But now it's either chocolate or sleep, and, for once, I'm choosing sleep.

Sweet dreams filled with sugar await me.

Round 2: Day Six.

2009-08-27T23:09:00.000-07:00

The interesting thing about starting a project like this is that, suddenly and inexplicably, you find yourself bombarded with free sweets. First, there was the free cheesecake on day three. Since then there's been offers of more cheesecake [we do employee samplings], chocolate chips* at work [when you'll pretty much eat anything to get thru the shift], and just today, free Starbursts* handouts from a inexplicably generous co-worker.

Now, as I've stated, my willpower is pretty good when it comes to saving my own wallet from sugar spending during this month, in fact it's part of the incentive for this project, but I'm not one to turn down a free treat. Junk food is expensive in Chicago so I cringe at the thought of passing up anything free.

With that being said, I should mention that the parental units are visiting for the next few days. Free meal outings and long touristy trips around the city may weaken my defenses, we shall see.

*For the record, while I safely avoided my second cheesecake encounter, I did partake in the chocolate chips and Starburst [I know, I'm so fired], but they're a small ripple in what used to be a wave pool of indulgences so cut me some slack.

Round 2: Day Five.

2009-08-27T22:46:00.000-07:00

Day five was and interesting transition in a lack of self-control. While I maintained my dessert-less existence, I indulged in just about every other area.

Confession time: I love potato chip sandwiches. If you stop reading at that sentence, I understand. I think it sounds weird too. At one point I would have even thought it sounded gross. But being a broke vegetarian with an addiction to Miracle Whip will make a girl creative with her sandwich choices. I actually got the idea from an twitter friend who mentioned having them at a vegetarian BBQ. So one day I tried it: BBQ Potato Chips covered in Miracle Whip and smashed between two pieces of wheat bread. And now I have nights that not only does this meal sound appealing...I crave it. Obviously, this is perhaps one of the least nutritious meals a girl could have. I've been trying to wean myself away from them, but with no dessert to quell my cravings, I let myself indulge in my bizarre and unhealthy sandwich of choice.

And it's something of a farewell indulgence since next week I'll say bye bye to my beloved [high fructose corn syrup laden] Miracle Whip.

Round 2: Day Four.

2009-08-26T12:42:00.000-07:00

Day four was not exactly laden with healthy foods. After day three's slip up, the dessert cravings did return and I scrambled to my kitchen to find something to satisfy my sweet tooth without cheating. I settled for organic strawberry yogurt, and eventually an organic PB&J.

In case you haven't noticed, my salvation for this project is organic sugar. In round one, I deemed it allowable without reason and I continue to allow it in round two. However, deep down I know it's still cheating.

Unfortunately, in today's society EVERYTHING is sweetened. Unless you have the time and money to slave over a home cooked meal, there's really little you can do to cut out sweeteners entirely. The only way I've found to avoid refined sugar and corn syrup [sugar's evil twin] is to shop organic. But even us health nuts like things sweet. We did, after all, grow up in America where the largest fast food chain puts sugar in even their meat. So most organic foods are sweetened with 'organic raw sugar' or 'evaporated cane juice' which are basically two apples from the same tree. Occasionally you'll get lucky [and pay more] when a company sweetens with agave nectar.

Agave nectar is heaven sent for a health conscious sweet tooth. Not only is it almost twice as sweet as sugar, it also has no effects on the blood's glucose levels, making it safe for diabetics, and avoiding the sugar crash for the rest of us. But, as I said, this is a rare find in the grocery section [try Amy's Kitchen if you're interested though] so I have to make an argument for the organics.

A little creative web searching tells me that organic sugar IS a healthier alternative. Because it is un-refined, it still maintains some nutritional value and is 50% less processed than regular white sugar. It is also metabolized in the body slower than the processed alternative [aka less spike in blood sugar levels].

For me, that's enough to ease the guilt.

Round 2: Day Three.

2009-08-24T21:56:00.000-07:00

Confession: Only three days in and I've already had a slip.
Well, not so much a slip as a conscious decision to break the rules.

Here's the scenario: Today, a friend came in to visit me at the restaurant where I wait tables. Said friend had just spent her evening in town on my couch free of charge so as a sort of payment, she left me part of everything she ordered: appetizer, main course...and dessert. To be fair, the dessert was more than half gone, there only remained a few large bites on her plate. However, as I rushed back to box up my portion of deliciousness, I remembered this blog.

But this was FREE CHEESECAKE! [And rather pricey cheesecake at that.] While I'm not one to break my own rules, I'm also not one to waste good food. I'm a poor city girl and free cheesecake is free cheesecake, no matter how you slice it [pun intended]. So I ate it. And with the rush of sugar into my bloodstream, I instantly felt that comfort that only chocolate or a glass of good wine can give you.

Then, about ten minutes later, the sore throat that had finally disappeared after a week of threatening laryngitis suddenly returned. And just a few minutes after that came the stomach ache. Maybe it was guilt, maybe it was the quick pace in which I shoveled food into my face before returning to work, but most likely it was the 66 grams of sugar I'd just inhaled. [ok, so I didn't have a full serving size, but you get the idea.] And the worst part is that, while delicious, I wasn't even craving the cheesecake to begin with.

Lesson learned, back to the program.

Round 2: Day Two.

2009-08-24T06:24:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about doing this project is finding new foods to fall in love with. Like last year, the dessert lock down makes me hungrier for real food. I don't know if this is just my body's calorie intake making up for the missing empty sugars or if it's because, without the ending of dessert, I just don't know when to stop eating the meal. Regardless of the reason, food becomes very important to me. And in the absence of a sweet ending, the taste of my meal is paramount. It has to be delicious enough to make up for the loss of chocolate.

Last night I found a delicious food combination: Pesto Pizza and White Zin. While both would have been good on their own, this is one pairing that just fit so perfectly together they could start cravings, like veggie burgers and milk shakes. While I'm aware that there are probably plenty of sugars in wine, as I said there must be some allowances. I'm by no means an alcoholic, but I am in my twenties and I do work in the service industry where dealing with a**holes all day requires a nightcap to wind down most evenings. [Be nice to your servers, you could prevent a drinking problem.] I prefer sweet wine to dry which implies more sugars by name alone, but I'm not sure if the sugars are added or if they are naturally occurring in the fruits within [which is allowed for this project]. So let's investigate, shall we?

According the results of a quick google search [under the oh-so specific search words of 'sugar' and 'wine'], the sugar is naturally occurring. More specifically:

'Sugar chemistry helps to explain its role in wine. One of these is fermentation, where yeasts metabolize sugars for energy, yielding alcohol as a major byproduct. In dry wine, yeasts consume almost all of the sugar from the grapes. In sweet wine, the yeasts are killed before all the sugar is used, leaving residual sugars.' [Source: CalWineries]

So perhaps my White Zin comes guilt-free after all.

Round 2: Day One.

2009-08-22T18:47:00.000-07:00

It's not quite a year later, but I'm back for round two of Sugar Detox. This time is slightly different: the rules are looser, there's no article ending [that I know of], and I'm not exactly starting out in perfect health.

Some updates on the life of Candy Girl:

1. I now live in the Windy City, otherwise known as Chicago. Since moving here a little over two months ago, my daily habits have become less than healthy. With higher rent and a greater tax percentage, I've pretty much been living on Peanut Butter and Potato Chips [not together, but some days I wouldn't be surprised to try it]. There are the occasional evenings out for a good, healthy meal [sushi being my favorite], but when left to fend for myself, I'll pretty much reach for anything to stop the hunger.

2. I have a new addiction [much more shameful than my previous dark chocolate binges]: McDonald's strawberry shakes. With a whopping 63 grams of sugar in a small [I usually get a medium], I have one of these treats at least once a week. It's not entirely my fault really, the evil arches are literally steps outside my backdoor and much cheaper than a trip to the corner market where a pint of healthier yogurt can cost me almost $5.

3. Probably no surprise after reading 1 & 2, I'm not feeling so hot lately. Since moving, my energy level has plummeted and my sleeping cycle has gone haywire. 2am bedtimes and afternoon naps are a constant in my life, not to mention the fact that sleeping in often cuts into my daily workout time. Even now, as I write this, my brain is a bit sluggish and my eyelids a bit heavy.

Basically, it all has to stop.

So today is day one off sugar. As I said, the rules are a bit more flexible for this round. Refined sugar dessert is still a definite NO NO, but with a smaller budget the strict label reading may have to have a few loopholes. Like last time, organic is ok, but agave sweetened is better [avoiding the glucose crash is key, after all]. Alcohol has to have an in somewhere, but I'll opt for wine instead of sugary cocktails. Oh, and of course, Green and Black Dark Chocolate will be back, but not until after week one's initial withdrawals subside [otherwise I'll be eating it by the bar rather than the piece].

Ok, I think that sort of sums it up [again, my mind is not in top form, hopefully the writing will improve with my health and wellness].

Quick summaries on day one:

1. Incredibly dehydrated. However, it should be noted that this is not unusual nowadays, lack of sleep and lots of walking will do that to you sometimes.

2. Sleepy. Again though, not unusual [clearly this is not a controlled experiment like the last time].

3. No real sugar cravings, but perhaps that's due to an impending cold. [I don't crave sugar when I'm sick, instead I crave orange juice and soup.]

Perhaps tomorrow we'll see improvement...

Day Twenty-Nine/Day Thirty.

2008-12-08T16:47:00.000-08:00

So this is it: The End. It's sort of anti-climactic since I have no real cravings left. I doubt I'll be binge-eating dessert tomorrow or anything. Actually, with as good as my health has been lately I might never look back. Strike that, I might indulge in the occasional craving, but it has to be worth it. For instance, the second I get a dinner buddy, I'm all about a turkey burger/chocolate milkshake combo at some point, but at the same time I doubt I'll be indulging in the office cookie stash just for the heck of it. I'll allow myself to eat the lean pockets in my freezer, but I'll definitely be keeping mental notes on how my body feels afterwards. Really it's all about balance. And listening to my body. But I'm rather impressed with myself for making it thru this month not only alive, but healthier.

And now I have a question for you, my handful of readers: any questions?
I'll start writing my WUNT article sometime this week and it would be nice to be able to anticipate any information that a reader might want to hear about. Obviously, the basics will be covered, but is there anything nagging at your thoughts about my experience that you feel I should also share? Let me know.

Day Twenty-Eight.

2008-12-06T14:30:00.000-08:00

Thanks to a fellow foodie, I've made a delicious discovery: Avocado. I've had it before in dips and on pizzas, but I've never braved a fresh purchase of my own. Quite frankly, I wasn't even sure how to prepare it [and had to ask]. Today, I've had it twice. The first was on an egg sandwich with turkey bacon and red bell pepper. A-mazing. Though I'm still not sure I have my avocado slicing down right because it kind of turned to mush. However, this lead me to an interesting idea: I've been using organic Dijon dressing on sandwiches in an attempt to replace my beloved Miracle Whip [the lemonaise was used exactly once, I can't take the idea of ingesting almost all egg yolk when it doesn't even taste that good], but with the avocado mush it lead to an interesting taste and texture. So this evening I had another egg sandwich [don't judge, I get on daily, sometimes weekly food kicks and eat the same thing three times a day, that's my prerogative] topped with spinach and an avocado/Dijon mixture as my spread. Surprisingly very yum! [Still not Miracle Whip, but it's getting tastier.]

Day Twenty-Seven.

2008-12-05T18:28:00.000-08:00

So tonight my parents took me out to Chili's for dinner. I really considered ordering a black bean burger, but had to veto that idea when I realized that I always order it with a chocolate shake, it just wouldn't taste right without it.

It will be interesting to see what I will allow myself to eat after this whole thing is over with. While I have no desire to go back to my daily sugar habit, I will be relieved to be able to stop reading the label of every food item I pick up. [Ok, let's face it, I'll probably still be reading labels, but sometimes I'll care about the sugar content and sometimes the food on the front will just look too delicious.] I honestly do LOVE the way I feel now that I'm not poisoning my body with sugar. I've never felt healthier for this time of year. Usually by now I'm reaching for the Dayquill like the rest of the world, but this month there's not so much as a sniffle [disregarding the first week of flu-like withdrawal, that is].

Frankly, I'm not even tempted by the five boxes of cookies that now live in the corner of my office. I'd rather feel on top of my game all week long than have two seconds of sugar on my tongue.

Day Twenty-Five/Day Twenty-Six.

2008-12-04T18:58:00.000-08:00

So I made an amazing food discovery tonight. Morning Star's Vegetarian buffalo chicken. I only gave up chicken a few months ago and the one item I can't shake the craving for it buffalo chicken. These little things not only fit the bill, but taste amazing. Seriously, I could serve them to hard core meat eaters and they wouldn't notice the difference. It was only after devouring a plate full for dinner that I thought to look at the box. The ingredients list, which is very long [I said they were vegetarian, not necessarily healthy], had sugar buried in the middle. Oh well, you live, you learn.

And speaking of items with unexpected sweetness, the one item I CANNOT WAIT to get back to in four days is...Miracle Whip. I'm loving the benefits of a nearly sugarless existence and will probably continue most of them even after the 30 days are up, but I will never again abandon my Miracle Whip. I've always been a hard core fan [Mayo ain't got nothing on the Whip], but after depriving myself for three weeks, the bottle calls to me every time I open the fridge. Will power I have, but it can only go so far.

Oh, and yesterday's banana nut muffins turned out surprisingly delicious. I had to substitute agave nectar for the brown rice syrup [I found rice VINEGAR in my search, but not syrup, weird.], but I looked up substitutions online and got them pretty well settled. BTW, agave nectar is not only a natural sweetener that doesn't spike your blood sugar like refined sugar does, but it's also nearly twice as sweet. Most substitutions only call for half as much in baking and cooking. Check out the info I found here.

Oh, and have I mentioned how fighting strong my immune system has become? Everyone around me is getting sick but I'm on top of my game [physically anyway, mentally, I'd rather stay in bed than work tomorrow, but that's a whole other story].

Day Twenty-Four.

2008-12-02T19:14:00.000-08:00

I noticed something today. Though it has been well over six months since my last teeth cleaning, my teeth have recently been absent of that mid-day 'sweater' feeling that sometimes happens. [Be grossed out if you like, but you know what I'm talking about.] Now they feel clean and fresh all day long. A benefit of avoiding the sweet stuff perhaps?

Tomorrow plans have been made to attempt baking the sugar-free banana nut muffins. My baking partner and I are equal parts talented and disastrous in the kitchen so really it could go either way. I'll keep you posted on the [hopefully] delicious results.

Until then.

Day Twenty-Three

2008-12-01T19:41:00.000-08:00

hmm...this is almost over. I'm really not sure I want it to be. I kind of like the challenge.

What shall I do next? A detox diet? Juice fast? Give up turkey? [Ok, so I already tried that last one and while the future vegan in me wants to make it work, the turkey bacon addict just isn't ready.]

Regardless, I like these little projects and feel the need to continue.

Day Twenty/Day Twenty-One/Day Twenty-Two

2008-11-30T07:42:00.000-08:00

Have I mentioned how much I love food? This is normal, but since cutting out the dessert I love food even more. AND cutting out the dessert has allowed me to eat much more food. Not in a counting calories sort of way, but in that now that I'm not filling up on sweets I'm hungry more often and therefore eat more often [deprivation is not in my vocabulary when it comes to good healthy food]. And since I could talk about food all day long, here's a list of some recent favorites:

Breakfast
organic blueberry and almond oatmeal
mixed with organic vanilla yogurt

Lunch
Vegetarian chili
organic PBJ's [yep, still a daily meal choice]

Dinner
Amy's Kitchen cheese-less vegetable pizza [which is sweetened with organic agave nectar making it both sweet and nutritious]

I'm also still addicted to Green and Black's 85% dark. I ran out yesterday and attempted the 70% again...still makes my tongue tingle and frankly, doesn't seem to have as much flavor.

And speaking of dessert, Thanksgiving was better and worse than I expected. Surprisingly, the pumpkin pie didn't tempt me as much as I thought. However, I forgot my family also makes persimmon pudding. I love persimmon pudding and Thanksgiving is pretty much the only time of year that it's made available to me so that was a hard one to say no to. But I was lucky enough to have sugar-free apple butter at my disposal thanks to my mother's recent trip to Appleworks so that + biscuits = my dessert substitute for the day.

And now I'm off to re-heat more veggie pizza for a mid-morning snack. :)

Day Eighteen/Day Nineteen.

2008-11-27T07:28:00.000-08:00

10:30am-

Yes, I'm a bad blogger. But really there's not a lot to blog about daily now that the bulk of the initial withdrawal is over. Some days I even forget that I'm not eating sugar. So really, it's all about breaking the habit and forming new ones.

I'm sure I will have updates later today though. A few hours of watching everyone else eat my favorite pumkin pie will definitely be a challenge.

Day Seventeen.

2008-11-25T19:13:00.000-08:00

Headaches. Fatigue. Grumpiness.

I can't decide if these are returning symptoms of withdrawal or results of lots of class stress and sleep deprivation this week. I'm guessing the later. Needless to say, I'm not on top of my game this week. I'll update progress more as soon as I catch up on some sleep and can be sure that's not interfering with the effects I'm experiencing.

One thing's for sure. I definitely crave more crappy food when I'm stressed. Only now that sugar's out of the question I've switched to simple carbohydrates and alcohol which end up making me feel equally as crappy. [No I'm not an alcoholic, it's only an occasional beer or glass of wine with dinner, but beer converts into sugar in your body and has similar not-good effects, thus the overall crappiness.]

Only one more day before I can sleep in. Good too since I'll need all the energy I can muster to resist pumpkin pie.

Day Sixteen.

2008-11-24T12:47:00.000-08:00

3:47pm-

Today's office temptation: Pumpkin fudge. Placed right next to the water cooler and postage machine where I travel at least ten times a day. Cruel and unusual punishment.

Day Fifteen.

2008-11-23T14:20:00.000-08:00

It's winter. I'm overloaded with homework. And all I want is to give in to comfort food. But I won't. My experience this weekend after dining out is enough to make me stick to this. I need to feel my best right now and while gorging on candy would make me feel awesome right this second, the long run effects are simply not worth it. I am, however, indulging in a few more squares of organic chocolate and lots of hot tea.

After Saturday's crumminess that followed the onion ring fiasco, my sister and I toyed with the idea of doing a cleanse. There's a natural cleanse using a drink made with lemon juice, maple syrup, cayenne pepper, and water that's supposed to clean the toxins from your body. The only kicker is that you're supposed to drink nothing but this mixture for ten days, no food. We decided to do it for about 12 hours. Perhaps when this experiment is over I'll give it a real go, but until then, I didn't want to add another variable into this month.

I'm getting increasingly frustrated with my co-worker's concern over my weight. Frankly, I'm not sure that I've even lost any during this experiment, especially since my intake of other foods has increased. But even if I have, I'm appalled that people would prefer that the weight be kept on by unhealthy means. If it's sugar that's keeping me in a certain weight bracket, would you prefer I keep ingesting the unhealthy to stay there? That doesn't make sense, but sadly, that's how minds work these days: It's not about health, it's about appearances. [And, it should be noted that most of the women 'concerned' are woman attempting to lose weight themselves who are perhaps just a bit jealous of my will power.] Personally, I would prefer to feel healthy and invigorated at any weight than sluggish and exhausted at another. Don't make me feel guilty for refusing to fill my body with crap.

And now, back to tea and homework.

Day Thirteen/Day Fourteen

2008-11-22T14:17:00.000-08:00

So there was a lack of updates yesterday due to a trip up to visit my sister and her husband. However, this actually resulted in an interesting development for this experiment.

Last night involved an evening out with a bit of drinking [I stuck with beer to avoid any sugary fruit drinks], but I still woke up feeling refreshed this morning. That is, until we went out for lunch. Now, understandably, I cannot possibly check the ingredients list on things prepared at a restaurant, but it was a free meal that I was not about to refuse. We started with an onion ring tower, complete with sides of ranch, honey mustard, and chipolte dipping sauce. Now frankly, I know all of those sauces included some form of sugar, but I indulged...and lived to regret it. I've felt like crap all afternoon. From right after lunch til currently typing this, I've felt sluggish, had a headache, and just generally felt like the beginnings of the flu and I'm sure it's a result of the sugar.

This article actually describes this effect pretty precisely: http://www.westonaprice.org/transition/sugars.html

And now you must excuse me while I retreat back under a blanket and continue to feel like I'm dying.

Day Twelve.

2008-11-20T14:59:00.000-08:00

So the more I read about the effects of sugar the more thankful I become that I'm not eating it. It's a sort of reversed informed decision that I benefit from often. I stopped eating red meat at the age of 11 and only after that did I find out about the higher cancer rates [not to mention cases of Ecoli] in meat eaters than in vegetarians. It's kind of the same feeling as watching the election day coverage knowing that you already voted early, you're intrigued at what's happening with everyone else, but glad you already got that hassle out of your life.

Anyway, today during a relatively slow workday I was browsing for more sugar information. I found that sugar not only adds absolutely nothing to your body in vitamins or minerals, but it also sucks nutrients FROM your body. That's right. Empty calories with no benefits are feeding on the few vitamins you did ingest at dinner while you eat that sugary dessert. Kind of sounds like a parasite, right?

Another benefit that I'm seeing in my own experience, but have been scared to mention is the effect sugar [or the lack of sugar] has on your skin. There are actually several studies, most notably by dermatologists Perricone and Brandt, that reveal the way that sugar breaks down the collagen in the skin and causes inflammation. Both doctors put forward diet plans that are supposed to reduce the inflammation of the skin that causes aging and acne, giving up refined sugar is a large part of these plans. When you think about it logically it really makes sense. Everything you put into your body effects the way your organs function, right? Well, what's the body's largest organ? [If you're not thinking 'the skin' go back to high school health class.] My skin has never felt so resilient. Example, last night I had two glasses of wine before crashing in bed [yes, I'm a lightweight]. Now normally, this would show on my face in the very least as tired and puffy the next day, but today, I looked refreshed and invigorated [even if I didn't feel so]. Also, my normally temperamental skin has been less so in just about every way. If this continues for the next few weeks I may never eat sugar again [yes, vanity is the best motivation.]

Day Eleven.

2008-11-19T10:25:00.000-08:00

1:30pm-

Have solved the problem of craving something sweet to end a meal: Tea. Yes, I'd fit right in with the Brits as I brew a pot of hot herbal to end every meal with.

And the added warmth in winter is a nice bonus.

8:40pm-

I'm in love...with a grocery store. I drove up to Trader Joe's tonight after work to buy organic peanut butter and left with $40 in delicious food [but ironically forgot the peanut butter]. The store is known for it's healthy food choices so I was in vegetarian heaven.

Among my purchases were many ready-made items [I'm too lazy to cook for just myself] like pasta with eggplant and zucchini, brown rice with mushrooms, spicy buttered veggies, and organic wine [which I'm currently a glass and a half into]. In addition to the health food, they also have shelves labeled with artistically designed prices [each one different from the next] and a section of beauty care that I've only read about in the 'green' issues of my magazines.

The best part though was the sense of community among the shoppers. We were all there because we are health-conscious, socially-minded, recyclers and we just 'get' each other. One stranger recommended the organic lotion I stood reading the label of [and later bought], the cashier talked dark beer with me, and overall I just felt among 'my people.'

Yes, I'm a green freak and I like it. But at least I'm not alone.

Day Ten.

2008-11-18T19:55:00.000-08:00

So the universe must be conspiring against me.

Today, for the third time since starting this experiment, there were treats at work.

My first Monday off sugar a co-worker made an entire week's worth of what everyone referred to as 'the best cookies ever' and brought a bag into work.

Yesterday, another co-worker brought in the fruit salsa and cinnamon/sugar chips.

Today, there was birthday cake.

Now normally at my office, birthday cake means DQ ice cream cake...ice cream cake I can resist. I know I'm a bit of a freak for this, but I'm not such a big fan of DQ's cakes. I'd much rather have good old-fashioned birthday cake with real cake and real icing. Call me sentimental, but that's what I like. Today, they bought real cake. A sugary, vanilla/chocolate confection that was made to torture my will power. It sat less than ten feet away from me all afternoon.

But the thing is, now that I'm starting so see so many benefits from this experiment, it's not just a matter of 'should I' when it comes to the temptation of sweets, it's 'do I really even want to?' I have a feeling that even once this experiment is over I'll splurge only for the really worthy desserts...like dark chocolate. But cheap Walmart cake? I think I'll pass.

Day Nine.

2008-11-17T16:29:00.000-08:00

I went grocery shopping today...again. Since I promised I'd cut out all items that were hiding high fructose corn syrup this week, I had to buy some new condiments. My purchases included organic Heinz ketchup and lemonaise. Yes, that's right, mayonnaise made with lemons. It's actually probably LESS healthy overall than my usual Light Miracle Whip [eggs are on the ingredient's list twice, once as 'whole eggs' and again as 'egg yolks.' Hmmm...aren't those in the whole eggs? didn't you already cover that?], but it is still free of fructose and sugar so it's now in my fridge.

I'm over-indulging on the Green & Black tonight [85% of course]. I read the other day that chocolate, since it is made from the cocoa berry, is actually a fruit [logical, but I'm never thought of it that way]. So now I'm craving cocoa berries. Seriously, I feel like I can actually taste the 'berry' flavor in my chocolate so it's tricking me into thinking it's fruit and therefore ok.

Today at the office a co-worker brought in fruit salsa with cinnamon sugar chips for dipping. The smell alone was killing me. I craved cinnamon all day, which is ironic because the cinnamon I could have had, but mix it with sugar and it's off limits. So I came home for lunch and had organic PBJ's for a touch of sweetness to get me thru the day.

Overall, not much else to update. Well, there are a few possible developments, but I want to give them another week to make sure they're effects of the experiment and not a fluke in timing. Until then, at least the headaches and cold symptoms have nearly subsided.

Day Eight.

2008-11-16T13:50:00.000-08:00

5pm-

Irony: I have a bottle full of sugar in my shower. I won't ingest it, but I'll use it as a scrub.

Today's been pretty uneventful. I don't dare venture outside the realm of this experiment after last night's numbed tongue.

Organic peanut butter is becoming my favorite snack. Right off the spoon even.

I do feel more energetic. However, this could also be because I slept in til 9:30 this morning [yes, this is sleeping in]. But overall, a feeling of well being is being experienced.

It's kind of weird how indignant I'm becoming about my situation though. Today I was at the book store browsing in the cooking section and was rather insulted that they didn't carry dessert books focusing on organic and healthy alternatives. A week ago I could have cared less.

Apparently I've got organics on the brain. In an assignment for my online design class I had to create a company to design ads, logos, and websites for in the following weeks. I chose to create an organic bakery: Sweet Nothings.

And speaking of organic baked goods, I did find a recipe from health-nut Gwyneth Paltrow for sugar-free banana nut muffins that I cannot wait to attempt. I'll let you know how it goes.

Day Seven.

2008-11-15T13:00:00.000-08:00

Around 3:30pm-

So at breakfast this morning [ok, more like brunch really late this afternoon], I tried one of my organic frozen meals from the brand Amy's Kitchen. Now while I love this brand's pizzas, even I was a little afraid of my most recent purchase: Tofu Scrambled. Despite many years hovering on the edge of vegetarianism, I've never actually tried tofu. Frankly, I've been scared of being disappointed by this vegan staple and running back to carnivorism [ok, so I wouldn't go that far, but I wanted to like it and had a pretty strong feeling that I wouldn't]. This meal left me pleasantly surprised. While I'm doubtful that it will end up on my cravings list, the combination of tofu, spinach, mushrooms, tomato, and hash browns was not bad at all. Another surprising development: the few dots of ketchup I allowed myself to go on my hash browns was...almost too sweet. Yep, that's right, I'm becoming more sensitive to the artificial sweeteners. Perhaps this will be the last day of high fructose corn syrup after all. Is there a bottle of Organic Ketchup in my future? Maybe. [Note: a quick google search reveals that Heinz actually does make organic ketchup, I might have to check this out.]

Meanwhile, I'm making a valiant attempt to break the habit of needing something sweet after every meal. Now that I've found some safety items like Green and Black's chocolate bars, it's tempting to revert back to the old routine, but even raw sugar isn't as good as real food. Usually I allow myself a piece of the chocolate bar after ONE meal a day. Other occasions I try to use fruit as the pacifier. Oh, and you know that tip for dieters that says your should brush your teeth after a meal to avoid craving dessert? Yeah, doesn't work. At least not for me. Actually, as a long-time mint/chocolate fan, the minty fresh toothpaste sometimes makes me crave chocolate even more.

Now perhaps it's just because it's a lazy Saturday, but I'm experiencing less and less of the side effects. Today there is no dull headache and the flemy feeling in my throat has nearly subsided. At this rate, by week three this experiment will be a piece of cake. [Cake made with raw sugar and natural sweeteners, that is...hmmm...maybe I should start baking...]

8pm-

So I just conducted an experiment. The last time I purchased Green and Black Chocolate bars, I got two, the 70% and the 85%. This week, I've been sticking with the 85% because the raw cane sugar is listed second to last on the ingredients list [only 5g]. Tonight, I tried the 70% with it's raw cane sugar listed second on the list [12g]. And now...I think my taste buds are going numb. Yes, it's a better, organic sugar choice, but it's still sugar, and in it's higher quantities, it's causing a reaction. Weird. And oddly, I like the 85%'s taste better anyway...the 70%'s kind of...tangy.

8:17pm-

Dang it! Now my throat's getting froggy again. I'm starting to see even more reason to continue this experiment...these reactions are not pleasant...or normal.

Day Six.

2008-11-14T10:06:00.000-08:00

Interesting tidbit: My 'cold' may actually still be signs of sugar withdrawal.

In most of the articles I'm reading regarding symptoms of withdrawal [in cases of sugar and in other addictions such as coffee and cigarettes], there is usually noted reactions such as runny nose [the body tries to dispel toxins thru liquid form], fatigue, fever, and throat discomfort. While I haven't been running a temperature to my knowledge, I have been experiencing the other three [particularly the throat discomfort, it feels like an entire family of frogs has set up camp in my esophagus]. The difference between this feeling and an actual cold is that usually, by now, the annoyances would be full blown, box-of-tissues, loss-of-voice sickness, but they are not. They simply have remained dull, annoying reminders that I'm not feeling on top of my game. But, as they say, it must get worse before it gets better. I'm hoping another few days, tops.

Observation: I've been eating much more than is normal for me. It makes me wonder if perhaps most of my calorie intake before this experiment was actually just empty sugar. Now instead of finishing half a sandwich and then consuming three brownies, I have a sandwich, some pasta, some chips [or whatever, you get the idea]; I'm actually eating side dishes, a concept foreign to me before this project [unless partaking in a rare evening out where no cooking is involved, of course]. I'm also trying to make sure that the food I'm consuming is relatively healthy. Granted, during the week, I'm lazy and usually don't eat anything that didn't just come out of a toaster or microwave, but at least I'm buying organic TV dinners and throwing a few veggies in with my mac and cheese.

What am I eating? Good stuff actually. I've had a few people express concern that cutting out sugar, mammal products, and chicken might not leave me with much else to live on, but that's quite untrue. First of all, the fact that I was probably living mostly on sugar before should probably be more of a concern. Second, depriving myself of dessert actually means I'm spending more money on real food. This week some noteworthy meals have included vegetarian chili, broccoli cheddar soup, turkey lunch meat sandwiches, and just today: a yummy mushroom lover's 'burger' covered with salsa and a side of pickle. [Ok, and I'll admit I also added a tiny splattering of ketchup and miracle whip to that last one despite the high fructose corn syrup on the label, but as I said before, this week allows for a few, non-dessert exceptions.]

Meanwhile, I do feel a change in my body. Not necessarily in size [again, not a goal], but in capabilities. I feel like things are functioning better, like my system isn't quite as bogged down by unnatural substances and is therefore freed up to work the way it should...
but then you must excuse me while I blow my nose and clear another amphibian from my throat...
so I guess the jury's still out.

Day Five.

2008-11-13T15:11:00.000-08:00

So I'm getting a cold. Which sucks worse when you can't curl up on the couch with whatever comfort food you desire. Oh well, nothing hot tea and lots of naps can't handle I suppose.

Observation: The hardest part about this project isn't the physical withdrawal symptoms, but rather the psychological habits I have to break. I have a mental twitch every time I finish a meal. And it's not necessarily a twitch of craving something sweet, it's a twitch of not finishing a routine that I've become very accustomed to: meal then dessert. I think once I get past that part, it should be pretty easy sailing.

Symptoms: still tired. still thirsty. still experiencing dull headaches.
Now all coupled with the runny nose, fuzzy brain feeling of an oncoming cold.
fabulous.

Day Four.

2008-11-12T16:51:00.000-08:00

New favorite snacks:

1. Terra's Sweet Potato Chips [yes, potato chips made from sweet potatoes. The ingredients list is gloriously short: sweet potatoes, sunflower oil...that's it. No mysterious chemicals there.]

2. Green and Black Organic Dark Chocolate bars covered in organic peanut butter [all made with raw sugar...Project Approved! :)]

Seriously, in less than 24 hours I finished an entire bag of these chips and an entire bar of this chocolate. But before you write this experiment off as too easy now, I will admit to still craving my gloriously sweet raspberry Giradelli, but the organic stuff is still a nice pacifier.

Oh, and since I forgot to mention it in my last entry, yesterday morning felt like waking up out of a coma. I couldn't move at all for about 15 minutes after my alarm went off, forget about opening my lead weighted eyes. Since I normally don't face such a problem I can only assume this is a symptom of withdrawal. It actually would have been pretty great if I'd had all day to stay in bed, but on a workday, it sucked. I dragged a** all day long. Oh, and did I mention I also looked like Death? My cheeks were sallow, my eyes were dry, and my nose was runny [though I'm thinking that last part is more a sign of an oncoming cold than this project].

Today, however, was MUCH better. I dare say I was almost chipper. So perhaps I'm getting thru the worst part.

Oh, and because I still can't seem to drink enough water I'm thinking I'll be seeing some positive effects of proper hydration soon as well...whatever those may be.

Now excuse me while I go guzzle another gallon for my trip across the Sahara.

Day Three.

2008-11-11T10:10:00.000-08:00

Around 1:20pm-

Great. Just when you think you're being safe, you get a stomach full of formaldehyde.

6:42pm-

So I feel that I need to take some time to explain what inspired this whole experiment. Like a vast number of life choices I've made [both good and bad], it all started because of a book. Skinny Bitch to be specific. For anyone who's heard anything about this book, you probably think that it is yet another fad diet book. That's what I thought and why I originally had no interest in it whatsoever. However, I eventually learned [thru the osmosis of pop culture] that it is actually a vegan lifestyle book written with frank and humorous honesty. Being an [almost] vegetarian [I eat turkey products and fish], I was intrigued. It was purchased and read all in less than one weekend.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who's even remotely curious about the things we put in our mouths on a daily basis. It not only covers the meat and dairy industries darkest secrets, but devotes an entire chapter to sugar. Granted, it makes sense that a diet book would frown upon consuming large quantities of sugar, but Skinny Bitch isn't as focused on the caloric aspect of such items, but rather the chemical aspects. Refined sugar is raw sugar cane that has been stripped of all the good stuff [vitamins, minerals, enzymes, etc.] and filtered [thru filters usually made from charred animal bones, btw] before it's put in just about everything Americans put in their mouths. Now, this in itself doesn't sound too bad [aside from the senselessness of purposely making an empty-calorie ingredient] but then take into account that sugar has been linked to hypoglycemia, yeast overgrowth, weakened immune systems, ADD, enlargement of the liver and kidneys, and mental disorders, then you might pay more attention. Other studies have pointed out that many of today's common diseases [most cancers for instance] were practically non-existent one hundred years ago, before our foods were pumped full of the sweet stuff.

Now here's the scarier part: alternative sweeteners are even worse. I won't cover every detail, but did you know that aspartame, the sweetener found in diet drinks, turns into formaldehyde when it mixes in with your digestive chemicals? Yep, as in the stuff they use to disinfect dead bodies. Upon reading that, I shrugged a sigh of relief that I don't drink any soda [a decision made after a year of WAY too many cavities], but then realized to my horror at lunch today that the yogurt that I'd deemed 'ok for emergencies' this week is sweetened with none other than aspartame [hence the topmost comment in this blog entry]. So now I'm a label reading fiend.

Now that you know the secrets of the sugar industry [or at least a few], I can better explain my guidelines for this experiment. As I've said, this has never been about weight. First, I have several people in my life that would scold me repeatedly if I lost any weight. And second, I could never stay motivated for something like this if it were only for reasons of vanity. [It's not that I'm all that noble, it's simply that I would rather have a chocolate fix than a thin waistline any day.] My motivation must come from someplace more interesting. Morally, I feel like the industry has become a bit greedy, sneaking sweeteners into EVERYTHING [we're talking even bread and potatoe chips]. Physically, I'm motivated by my general health. Granted, I'm hoping there will be some positive side effects that occur along with this experiment, but really I just want to become a bit more aware of what goes into my body.

All that being said, I've found a GLORIOUS LOOPHOLE! By reading labels and doing my research, it is possible to find sweet products that are not chemically enhanced [or filtered thru animal bones]. This is what I did this evening.

Can I take a moment and mention how much I LOVE Target? I do. It's an obsession really. I love them for their effort to supply me with healthy and environmentally-friendly options at a reasonable price. [Yes, Walmart shoppers would argue that the price is not that reasonable, but I'm willing to pay a few pennies more for health. Not to mention that I've never been hit on by a toothless trucker at Target while said event has happened TWICE at Walmart.] Anyway, I highly recommend that you take your next grocery run to Target. But here's the kicker: don't just run in and buy the brand you usually buy...browse a bit. It's fascinating the health food store quality products you'll find on the shelf next to your Cocoa Pebbles and Peter Pan peanut butter. For instance, tonight I purchased peanut butter, jelly, DARK CHOCOLATE, and Mac and Cheese, all organic, and none containing any refined sugars of artificial sweeteners. Yes, the bill was a bit higher than usual, but totally worth the fresh fruit I'll have for breakfast tomorrow and the sugarless PBJ sandwiches for lunch.

So perhaps you can have it all, even without the chemicals.

Day Two.

2008-11-10T19:07:00.000-08:00

So I'm cranky.

REALLY CRANKY.

Let's start from yesterday:

I really was ok until I ate the first meal of the day [which, being that it was Sunday and I'm lazy, was about 3pm]. That's when the cravings started.

As I've said, it's not unusual for me to eat dessert after every meal and I wasn't over-exaggerating. Actually, I'm beginning to realize that 90% of the time, dessert is really the only reason I eat the meal to begin with. Eating dinner becomes the steps in the race to a finish line called chocolate. But now, I finish...with no finish [there's a cruder saying I could use here, but my mother reads this, I'm sure you're all with me though: 'it's like.....with no....']. So yesterday, I polished off my bowl of chili to find that the end of the meal was in fact the end of the meal. No sweet ending? My taste buds were distraught.

So, I continued eating.

Two bowls of chili and half a bag of wheat thin chips later and I still wasn't satisfied. So I had a yogurt. Now, I still haven't decided the exact rules of this experiment, but for now 'giving up sugar' entails those items that are traditionally considered 'sugary.' Chocolate, brownies, cookies, candies, basically anything your grandmother used to warn you was going to rot your teeth. Yogurt is a gray area. Perhaps by week two it will be eliminated due to high fructose corn syrup located second on it's ingredients list, but for this week it will be used in absolute emergencies.

By bedtime, I was worse. As in two-cups-of-coffee jitters and a one-track mind focused solely on chocolate worse. I might have even dreamed in chocolate, but cannot remember since I only ended up with about 4 hours of sleep [I'm normally a 7-8 kind of girl]. So this morning, I was tired, cranky, and...for some reason...really thirsty.

That brings me to the second 'symptom' I seem to be experiencing: cotton mouth.
I guess it's possible that I'm noticing something that would have already been there, but today has consisted of more trips to the water cooler than usual combined with a 'flemmy' feeling in my throat that just can't be cleared [so attractive, I know].

Other noted sensations include dry eyes, dry skin [but it is winter], slight headache, and sweating [yes, sweating. Not hard-core heroine addict sweating, but still, sweating at the sight of a cookie is not normal behavior.]

And did I mention I'm REALLY FREAKIN' CRANKY!

If I can just get thru week one, right? It's got to get easier after that...

Day One.

2008-11-09T10:51:00.000-08:00

And so it begins...

I woke up this morning and stashed away my candy collection. Yes, collection. Now hidden away in various cabinets and drawers is a vast array of sugary substances ranging from a box of Cocoa Pebbles to a giant bag of Halloween candy. My daily diet consists of at least one serving of dark chocolate [preferably Giradelli's Dark Chocolate Raspberry Squares] and an additional dessert [usually a large portion of a medium-sized bag of M&M's that I always keep in supply].

I blame my mother. She gave me my first taste of chocolate at an age that most parents are trying to get their children to eat mashed peas. Growing up, family meals consisted of putting sugar in just about everything: tuna salad, deviled eggs, pasta, ketchup...EVERYTHING. Apparently, the American diet did not consist of enough teeth rotting, chemically altered substances already, my mother needed more. [Note: the last item on the list, ketchup, already contains the sweeter-than-sugar ingredient corn syrup, as does the miracle whip and sweet relish included in my mother's signature tuna salad. Sweet enough for you?]

Needless to say, sugar is a daily part of my life. I've been known to eat dessert after every meal and bake entire batches of brownies for myself only to polish them off in less than 48 hours. Thankfully, due to good genetics and a high metabolism, this sugar obsession has never translated into a weight problem, quite the opposite. At 5'2" and around 100lbs, I sometimes think the overindulgence in sweets is an effort to prove to those around me that I don't in fact starve myself. Through out the years I've heard many comments of 'where do you put it all?' and 'that will catch up to you later,' but I'd much rather have that than quiet whispers wondering about my physical well being.

Ironically, I really am a pretty healthy eater [aside from the sugar addiction]. A semi-vegetarian since the age of 11, I recently cut chicken out of my diet as well. While these diet changes were for moral and ethical reasons, it does bring me pride to read that it also could reduce my risk for cancer and/or heart disease. I am constantly fascinated with the effects certain foods have on our bodies. A few years ago after reading that the hormones in milk can sometimes lead to acne, I stopped guzzling it by the gallon and the breakouts lessened.

Sugar, however, will be a whole new battlefield.

According to a Princeton study of lab rats, sugar actually is slightly addictive and, just like any drug, can cause withdrawal symptoms. Effects of halting sugar intake after a pattern of binging include shaking and changes in brain chemistry. A friend's boyfriend who stopped consuming sugar momentarily also experienced headaches and a general lack of well being. Generally, withdrawal symptoms should only last a month tops...exactly how long I've given myself for this experiment.

So far, nothing...just a slight twitch to bust out the Halloween bag and binge on Twix bars, but that'll pass, right?